Is the saying Truckers are paid tourist total BS?

Paid tourist is a pretty optimistic view of this job. I always said I saw a lot of interstates and industrial parks. Generally, most thing you want to see don't have truck parking. You either look from the road, or gaze wistfully in the direction of what you want to see.

That being said, driving over the road wasn't without its fun bits. I did get to see a lot of awesome wildlife, including turkeys, bison, & bighorn sheep. There were some truly gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. Rivers, lakes and streams that looked like they were straight out of a photo book. Little roadside attractions that pop up everywhere.

Then there was the pollution, traffic, same beige and grey industrial areas, unpleasant smells, and pavement. And lots of feed lots.

On the plus side? I have an excellent mental map of most of the country, barring the northeast. So when I talk to someone who lived in Fargo, or Denver, or St Louis, and they mention a place, I have some recollection of what it's like, having been there and passed through many times. I also spent some time as a telephone operator (back when that was still a job) and it was really great to be able to see these streets everyone was asking for. Peachtree in Atlanta killed me, because I used to get so many requests for businesses on it.

 

Depends on several things, as an owner operator I do once a month go somewhere and have a weekend layover, I rent a hotel and drop my trailer and bobtail places, I bob tailed in Moab Utah and seen some cool stuff, I regularly go to Vegas, and real cool places, but I pick my own loads and go where I want to, most company drivers just end up where ever there gonna end up and it's either at home over a weekend, or at a truck stop for a restart, depends on the company they drive for and a lot of different factors, as far as sight seeing I take loads through Moab Utah all the time, talk about beautiful drive, I run I-70 through Colorado and Utah, and that is a beautiful scenic drive, I go through New Mexico a good bit love the scenery there, it just depends on the company, where the frieght lanes are and time...

 

I loved seeing some of the wonders of the country,,,I-80 chrome shop Walcott,Iowa, 4States chrome shop Joplin, South of the Border truck stop in SC,,notice a pattern here ?

 

if you are company driver its like driving a military ship are jet. you have to ask for permission if you want to go off planed route. but if you o/o rung under your numbers its easy to take a few days off and go explore

 

When I drove entertainment trucks, I got to see the inside of a lot of venues and hotels...A few times, I had days off when I could look around some, not much though.

 

Spent the night at a rest area in moab ut once but woke up at sunrise and still had 4 hours to go on my break. I put my boots on grabbed a couple waters and went hiking. Also got to check out the hole in the wall. It's a house built into the rock.

When I was on the road with my dad growing up I saw lots of stuff. Grand canyon, old prisons, old forts, etc. You just gotta make the time. Smart phones make it a lot easier too. I don't know how he found half the stuff we saw.

 

1.) it depends on how strict your company is. Some places watch milage like a hawk and track you with GPS & Qualcomm.

2.) it depends on how much time you have to spare in your route.

3.) once you become familiar with certain cities you'll learn places where you can (safely) park your truck for a few hours.

I've been to Memphis, Tampa, Chicago, LaCrosse WI, Cincinatti, Wheeling WV, Richmond VA, Orlando, Roanoke VA, The Chessapeke Bay Bridge, and more and been PAID to go there. Most of those places would COST me hundreds of dollars to go to. So they wouldn't really be a priority over say Hawaii?

Also the view of Cincinatti from the Kentucky approach is breathtaking at night.

 

They really need a ferry to Hawaii so us truck drivers can visit.

 

Well I mean on my income, where would I rather save for, a trip to Hawaii or Columbus OH?

 

The road trip views are what we get usually.
Got to drive across Chesapeake Bay bridge-tunnel the other day. That was cool.
Saw the Manhattan skyline for the first time. Thankfully, I didn't have to go down into it.
Usually stick with the Midwest. Peaceful farmland, northwoods, lakes... It's all good.
Sunrises can be nice anywhere.
Paid roadtripper, maybe, but never really feel like a tourist.